by Jenna R. Smith, Staff Writer
Another important feature of this
program is the mentor aspect. Newly released inmates are paired with a mentor,
who provides the inmate with friendship, support, and assistance in making the
transition from prison life back into mainstream society. Mentors assist their
mentees with a variety of tasks: driving and accompanying them to A.A. and N.A.
meetings, helping them find housing and employment, and bringing together the
inmate and his or her family to become part of the community of faith.
The
current population of Allegheny County Jail is 2,600, and of these 2,600
inmates, 65% will recidivate. However, since October 2006, more than 2,300
males have participated in The Foundation of H.O.P.E. Pre-Release Program at
the A.C.J. Of those male inmates participating in this program, only 18% of
male graduates have returned to jail. More than 1,100 women have participated
in the program as well. Female graduates recidivate at a rate of only 16%.
Recidivism occurs mainly because
inmates are not adequately prepared to overcome the obstacles that caused them
to commit the crime in the first place. The Foundation of H.O.P.E. confronts
recidivism by providing inmates with support, guidance, and direction while
they are serving their time and after their release from jail. In 2006, the
A.C.J. established the faith-based “Pod of Hope” for men, and in 2009, a pod
was added for women. Around 90 inmates live together in the Pod of Hope and
meet over an eight-week period for over 210 hours of group work. The program
provides inmates with extensive rehabilitative remedies, such as programs on interpersonal
relationship skills, addiction and recovery issues, life skills, parenting
skills, and much more.
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| Pod of HOPE. © Foundation of Hope 2012. |
A Federal Bureau of Justice Assistance Second Chance Act
Mentoring Grant funds the H.O.P.E. Aftercare Mentor Life Coaching Program. The
Second Chance Act is a first-of-its-kind legislation that authorizes federal
grants to government agencies and nonprofit organizations to provide employment
assistance, substance abuse treatment, housing, family programming, mentoring,
victims’ support, and other services that can help reduce recidivism.
On Oct. 23, 2012, Duquesne University School
of Law’s Criminal Law Society and Christian Legal Society hosted an educational
program entitled, “Reducing Recidivism in America’s Prisons.” The program
featured Professor Daniel Kunz, a graduate of Duquesne Law and Graduate School
of Business, a Supervising Attorney of Duquesne Law’s Veterans Clinic, and
board member of The Foundation of H.O.P.E.
The Foundation of H.O.P.E. is a ministry of Christian
Associates of Southwest Pennsylvania, a regional ecumenical agency whose mission
is to be a “unifying voice in the name
of Jesus Christ for the Mission of the Gospel and the wholeness of Communities.”
Since
1985, Christian Associates has worked with Allegheny County to provide chaplaincy
services for all faith groups at the Allegheny County jail.
If
you are interested in mentoring a prisoner at the A.C.J. and are committed to
making a difference in that person’s life, you can apply to become a mentor by
contacting the Director of H.O.P.E. Aftercare or visiting
www.foundationofhope.org.
